Scavenger submersible visual and acoustical tank inspection system and method

Abstract

The present invention is an apparatus and method of preparing and inspecting a submerged surface of a fluid reservoir. The apparatus includes a chassis sized and shaped to provide an optimally low center of gravity, a propulsion system comprising two independently controllable motor and track means, a scrubbing/vacuuming system disposed at the front of the chassis which includes a scrubbing system designed to mechanically break up sediment on the surface beneath the apparatus and a vacuuming system to remove sediment and sediment-containing fluid from beneath the apparatus, and an inspection system located immediately behind the scrubbing/vacuuming system with respect to the direction of apparatus travel and operative to inspect the freshly cleaned surface with either ultrasonics, optics, or a combination of both.

I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for the preparation and inspection of a submerged surface of a fluid reservoir, said apparatus comprising: means for moving the apparatus within a fluid in a direction of travel over an area of the submerged surface to be inspected;   cleaning means for preparing said area for inspection comprising means for removing deposited sediment from the submerged surface and means for irrigating the cleaned surface with a stream of clean fluid; and   inspection means for examining said prepared surface through said clean fluid.   
     
     
       2. The surface preparation and inspection apparatus of claim 1 further comprising movement and inspection control means, said control means being responsive to at least one of pre-programmed control and direct control from a remote location. 
     
     
       3. The surface preparation and inspection apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for removing deposited sediment comprises means for sucking fluid containing suspended sediment, means for filtering said fluid to produce clean fluid and means for providing said clean fluid to said irrigating means. 
     
     
       4. The surface preparation and inspection apparatus of claim 2 wherein said inspection means is operatively disposed immediately after said cleaning means along said direction of travel. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus for preparing and inspecting the submerged surface of a fluid reservoir, said apparatus comprising: a chassis means, sized and shaped to provide an optimally low center of gravity and defining at least a front and an underside of said apparatus;   propulsion means operative to provide movement to said apparatus and being mounted on said chassis means, said propulsion means comprising two independently controllable motor and track means;   a scrubbing/vacuuming compartment disposed at said front, underside of said chassis means and comprising: scrubbing means designed to mechanically break up sediment on the surface beneath said apparatus; and   vacuuming means to remove sediment and sediment-containing fluid from beneath said apparatus, resulting in a freshly cleaned surface; and     inspection means located immediately behind the scrubbing/vacuuming means with respect to the direction of apparatus travel and operative to inspect said freshly cleaned surface.   
     
     
       6. An apparatus for preparing and inspecting a submerged reservoir surface as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a filtering system communicating with said scrubbing/vacuuming compartment and operative to filter sediment from fluid, said filtering system comprising: means to remove fluid and suspended sediment from the scrubbing/vacuuming compartment;   means to filter the sediment from the reservoir fluid and return clean fluid to the reservoir proximate to said inspection means.   
     
     
       7. An apparatus for preparing and inspecting a submerged reservoir surface as claimed in claim 5 wherein said apparatus is operated from a remote control command center, said apparatus further comprising command receiving means for receiving operational commands and controlling at least one means comprised in said apparatus. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus for preparing and inspecting a submerged reservoir surface as claimed in claim 5 wherein said inspection means comprises: means to continually irrigate said freshly cleaned surface by flowing clear fluid into the volume between the inspection means and said freshly cleaned surface; and   at least one of optical sensors and ultrasonic sensors operative to image a portion of said freshly cleaned surface.   
     
     
       9. An apparatus claimed in claim 8 wherein said optical and ultrasonic sensors comprise arrays generally disposed perpendicular to the direction of apparatus travel and oriented to image a surface section of width comparable to said chassis width. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus claimed in claim 9 wherein said scrubbing means comprises a rotating cylindrical brush disposed in said scrubbing/vacuuming compartment. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus claimed in claim 10 wherein said scrubbing means comprises a nozzle means, disposed in the scrubbing/vacuuming compartment and aimed at the surface beneath the apparatus, to provide at least one high velocity jet of fluid. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus claimed in claim 6 wherein said chassis means comprises a first and a second chassis joined by an articulated connection, said inspection means being disposed on said second chassis and said scrubbling/vacuuming department being disposed on said first chassis. 
     
     
       13. A method for preparing and inspecting a fluid reservoir surface coated with sediment comprising: scrubbing a section of said surface to loosen said sediment and removing the loosened sediment to prepare a freshly cleaned surface;   interposing a clean fluid flow between said freshly cleaned surface and an inspection means; and   inspecting said surface through said clean fluid flow with said inspection means.   
     
     
       14. The method for preparing and inspecting a fluid reservoir surface claimed in claim 13 wherein the fluid containing loosened sediment is removed from the reservoir, filtered, and returned as said clean fluid flow. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 13 wherein said scrubbing step is performed by at least one of mechanical brushing and fluid sprayering. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of inspecting is performed by at least one of optical inspection and acoustic inspection.